One of the Cyclones parent clubs, the Nashville Predators, is on their way to the Stanley Cup Western Conference Semifinals.
For the first time in franchise history, the Predators found a way to win their first-round series...defeating the Anaheim Ducks in 6 games.
For those that may have missed it, here are some highlights from the series clinching game:
*************
The NHL Network Crew breaks down the Predators series win and looks ahead to Round 2:
*************
While the days and times haven't been set yet, the Preds know their next opponent - the top-seeded Vancouver Canucks. However, the Canucks are likely to be a bit more weathered due to their 7-game battle with Chicago. Last night, Vancouver avoided a historical collapse by knocking off the defending champs in overtime:
*************
NHL.com has a nice piece on Pekka Rinne and his return to Vezina-caliber hockey. He was an integral part of Nashville's success in the first round.
*************
Here's a first look at the Predators vs. Canucks matchup in Round 2...courtesy of NHL.com
Right here, right now: The teams divided the four-game season series, with each winning once at home and once on the road. The last meeting came on March 29, when Vancouver went into Nashville and left with a 3-1 victory to complete a perfect road trip. Vancouver is 15-8-1-1 all-time against the Predators at home and 14-10-1-0 in Nashville. The teams have never met in the playoffs.
Coulda Woulda: Nashville closed out Anaheim in the first round on Sunday for their first series victory in franchise history, then had to wait to see who it would play in the second round. Vancouver looked like it would breeze through the opening round against Chicago, winning the first three games – but lost the next three and had to go to overtime in Game 7 on Tuesday night to beat the Blackhawks 2-1 on a goal by Alexandre Burrows.
How important to win first game: The Predators will head for the Pacific Northwest with the hope of getting the jump on a Vancouver team still enjoying its Game 7 victory against Chicago – a win that helped atone for playoff losses in each of the last two years. Nashville had its own celebration on Sunday after ending its 0-5 playoff drought, but has had a few days to get the euphoria out of its system.
The Great Unknown: Both teams have elite goaltenders coming off series victories in which they didn’t always play well. Nashville’s Pekka Rinne had a 3.29 goals-against average against Anaheim, more than a goal a game higher than his regular-season GAA. Roberto Luongo was one of the heroes of Vancouver’s Game 7 win against Chicago, but he was yanked in Games 4 and 5, then was benched in Game 6 only to take the loss after replacing injured starter Cory Schneider in the third period.
Finish line: Both teams are coming into the series off emotional victories. Nashville is in the second round for the first time; Vancouver finally got past Chicago, the team that ended its season in each of the last two seasons and nearly did it again. The Canucks were the NHL’s best team in the regular season, and what often happens to superior teams that avoid getting tripped up in the first round is that their talent begins to dominate. If both teams play to their talent level, the Canucks have the edge because they have more talent.
*************
The expectation is that the series will begin on Thursday or Friday in Vancouver. Keep it locked to CyclonesHockey.com for all the latest playoff updates!
*************
Are you following us on Facebook and Twitter?? We'll keep you updated on all the latest happenings throughout the offseason, including info on Concrete 'Clones 2011.
